A CANDID MINISTER.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9664, 1 December 1909, Page 4

A CANDID MINISTER.

The reply of the Minister fjr Railways to the Wairarapa deputation that waited upon him on Monday last in regard to the new railway timetable for this district is not one thiit can be cavilled at. 'i'he Hon. Mr Millar's remarks certainly entirely dispose of suggestion that the electorate is being "punished for its political sin-?," and any other equally absurd statement thatmiy have been made in regard to alt -r----ations in the train service wti:h

have as a matter of necessity to be made. "How. could he," asked the Minister, "possibly run trains when there was no stuff to carry? It was bad enough now, and there would be further lossjwhen the mail train was the other side." Mr Millar is determined to make the railways pay, and there is no doubt tl at he ss studying the true interests of the Dominion in endeavouring to accomplish the object that he has in view. The present service, we are told, is far in excess of requirements, and consequently the Minister has no other course to reduce the 1 number of trains. Recommendations made by a conference that met at Palmerston North some time ago have been considered and some of them given effect to. For instance, the last train from Woodville, which now goes no further than Masterton, will run on to Cross' Creel;, and will leave the latter place in the morn- ; ing for the North instead of starting from Masterton as hitherto. The residents of South Wairarapa are to be congratulated on the convenience gained, but it seems hardly possible that these trains will pay, when the" Minister states emphatically that it would not pay to run the evening train from Wellington to Masterton on to Eketahuna, or Pahiatua and hack again in the morning. The Bush district, it unfortunately appears. has suffered a good deal by the alterations that have been made. We ass me that trains which are found not to pay under the new regime Will be cut out of the list.